


All at Once

by thetomkatwholived



Category: The Society (TV 2019)
Genre: Boys Kissing, Episode Fix-it, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 19:32:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19116271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetomkatwholived/pseuds/thetomkatwholived
Summary: Grizz returns from the expedition and realizes two important faces are missing from the crowd. In all the chaos of the moment, all he truly wants is to find Sam and feel some sense of contentment.





	All at Once

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is my attempt at the reunion we didn't get in the last episode. It clears up a lot of the angst that the show will definitely draw out for a while, so I don't actually expect something like this to take place. I just needed to address the lack of Sam and Grizz in that last episode and do something about it. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also, this is unbetaed which is weird for me. I'm not going to ask you to disregard any errors, I just wanted to make that clear.

Grizz watched the crowd dissipate, confused by what he had just stumbled upon; he’d read enough about military coups to recognize the making of one, but he never imagined his  _ friends  _ would be at the forefront of one. Among the crowd, he noticed two absent faces, one of which was the only face he felt like seeing at that moment. 

“Hey, Kelly!” The girl in question spun around; her discontent was visible on his face. “What’s happening? Where’s Sam? And Becca?”

“They arrested Allie and Will on charges of corruption or election tampering or some other bullshit. So Lexie and Harry are our co-mayors with puppetmaster Campbell pulling the strings,” Kelly was pissed and struggling with this new reality.

“Wow. I… wow. Sam? Becca?” Grizz had no idea how to take in all of this information and just needed to find Sam.

“Becca had her baby. They’re at the hospital. But they don’t know. You can’t tell them, Grizz! It’s already hard enough for them right now,” Kelly insisted.

“What, I’m supposed to lie to them? What about when they get out, hm? You’re not even going to warn them we’re undergoing a fucking coup?” He threw an arm behind him to indicate the spectacle that just took place.

“Grizz, you can’t tell them. Not yet.” Kelly bore her eyes into his, making sure her point was clear.

He held up his hands in surrender, “Fine. Sure. But I’ve gotta go.” Before Kelly could respond, Grizz took off towards the hospital at a run.

***

The first thing Grizz heard when he entered the ER area was wailing and the frantic shushing of Becca. He rushed around the corner, excited and nervous to see Sam again, only to be met by just Becca, alone, holding a baby.

His rushing alerted her to his presence and she snapped her head up, smiling when she saw him. “Grizz! You’re back! Come meet Eden.” She raised one of the baby’s chubby arms in a small wave.

Grizz stared, memorized by the sight. That was a baby. His classmate was holding a baby. Her baby. And Sam’s baby. Maybe that baby would grow up with piercing blue eyes or soft red hair, just like her father. He felt a little woozy.

“I gotta sit.” He collapsed in the chair next to the bed, head in his hands and thoughts barreling through his mind. 

“It’s a lot to take in, I know.” Becca’s voice cut through some of the noise in his mind, reminding him that his little breakdown was taking place in front of someone.

“That’s a baby. That’s your baby. And… Sam’s baby. That’s Sam’s baby.” Grizz knew he should try to be discreet, but with everything happening, he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “He has a baby.” Something resembling a helpless sob ripped through him.

As realization dawned on Becca’s face, footsteps sounded in the empty area, as Sam appeared, immediately homing in on Grizz. Despite all the emotions coursing through him at that moment, Grizz could only focus on how utterly happy he was to see Sam. He sprang up, almost knocking the chair over and rushed towards Sam, enveloping him in his arms. Someone let out a sob, but he was too caught up in the moment to know who, too focused on having Sam close to him once again.

Then a wail sounded, breaking Grizz out of the moment and reminding him that this boy in his arms had a baby. He loosened his grip, pulling back to find Sam gazing at him longingly and lovingly. Grizz swallowed hard, overcome by the sheer beauty of the look, but unable to forget about the child mere inches away that Sam shared with someone else.

“I missed you,” Sam signed as he spoke.

“I missed you too,” Grizz did a sloppy imitation of Sam’s signs. It earned him a blinding smile nonetheless. “Um, she’s crying. Your… Eden. Eden’s crying.”

Sam glanced behind Grizz, spotting Becca rocking a screaming Eden, trying to shush her to not ruin the moment for Sam and Grizz. For a moment, Sam hesitated, looking up at Grizz with a helpless expression, before making his way to help Becca.

Grizz watched him coo at Eden as her screams lessened, evidently having tired herself out. Sam stroked her hair, giving her an adoring look. Something flared within Grizz; some feeling he could not name. He felt as though he was intruding on this family unit, so perfectly crafted. But there was some hope there too; hope that maybe he could join this family unit in some way. It was probably too early for that kind of thought, but he didn’t want to dismiss it when it bloomed in his mind.

“Grizz! Come say hi,” Sam, having helped to calm Eden down, was now beckoning Grizz over; inviting him into the family unit.

He took a deep breath to steel himself, then made his way to the bed, crouching down so he could be level with the swaddled infant. Grizz had been a big guy since he was 13, so he was used to towering over most people. But there was something so much more delicate about Eden that made him feel even bigger and more dangerous. His hand was almost as big as her whole body.

“Do you want to hold her?” Becca nodded down at Eden and then up at Grizz, trying to communicate her question to Sam without being able to sign.

Sam turned to Grizz with an eager smile as Grizz stuttered out, “Oh, no, I couldn’t.”

“Yes, she’ll love you,” Sam said as he signed along excitedly.

Before he could protest any further, Becca was settling the baby into his arms, making sure he supported the head. He let out a long breath through his nose, in awe of the bundle in his arms.

“Are you swooning too?” Becca had directed her question at Sam but made sure she said it out loud for Grizz to hear. Sam turned bright red. “I mean, a cute boy holding a baby? What a view, huh?”

Grizz turned to Sam, wanting to see his reaction, hoping he’d admit to finding Grizz attractive in front of his best friend. Sam, for his part, was resolutely avoiding Grizz’s eyes. He was also, somehow, even redder. 

_ Say it. Say I’m cute. Say it does something to you. _

“It’s definitely a lot. I… like this image.” Grizz can’t hide his delight, trying to bite down a smile as he looked down at Eden. She was gazing at him with something akin to curiosity, evidently intrigued by this new face.

“Hi, Eden. I’m Grizz. I’m friends with your mom. And very close to your dad.” He knows what he’s doing. What’s the point in hiding it anymore? Everything around them was crumbling. All he wanted was some semblance of happiness, something it seemed only Sam could provide.

Eden blinked at Grizz a few times before giving a large yawn and burrowing into the blanket. Grizz couldn’t help but smile at the adorable baby, who had already stolen a little piece of his heart. If Sam chose her over him, he would probably understand.

“You have the best parents in the whole world. Which is small - this world. But you lucked out and got the two best people as parents.” Grizz wanted to add that he’d be around too. As some weird uncle or big brother type. Or maybe as another dad. Dad’s… boyfriend? Someone special, someone close.

“He’s lying.” Grizz whipped his head up at Sam’s voice. “He’s too modest to say he’s the best.” 

They sat like that, Eden snoozing in Grizz’s arms while Sam and Grizz gazed at each other with matching silly grins, for a few moments before Becca threw her hands in the air. 

“Really? You’re both going to just pretend this isn’t obvious?” She signed as she spoke, making sure Sam could understand her incredulous question.

“What do you mean?” Sam was trying to play dumb, but the shy glance he threw towards Grizz gave him away.

“Oh, don’t give me that! How long has this been a thing?” She looked pointedly at each of them.

“Since Thanksgiving. But… I’ve liked him for years. So…” It was Grizz’s turn to blush, not believing he was admitting such a thing to Becca and Sam. And Eden.

“You have?! You’ve liked me for years?!” Sam signed so frantically that even Becca couldn’t seem to follow him.

“I told you that!”

“You said you noticed me, not that you liked me!” Sam gave a small pout and Grizz had to stop himself from kissing it away.

“Yeah, I liked you,” Grizz shrugged, trying to downplay the confession as no big deal.

“Sam always thought you were handsome.” Grizz whipped his head towards Becca, catching Sam’s glare in his periphery. 

“What?” Grizz couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He had assumed that he was the one pining for years while Sam had developed a more recent attraction. And maybe Sam didn’t have some long-standing crush on him, but he had noticed him and been affected in some way. Something delightfully warm blossomed in Grizz’s chest.

“We would talk about boys sometimes. Your name came up once or twice,” Sam shrugged, but the fierce blush on his face gave him away.

“Yeah, because you brought him up!” 

“Becca!” Sam looked more embarrassed than upset. He turned to Grizz and began speaking and signing quickly, “You… caught my eye once or twice. You’re very tall and popular and… handsome.”

“Your face matches your hair,” Grizz knew the fondness in his voice wouldn’t come across to Sam so he tried to convey it in his expression. The small smile Sam gave in return seemed to indicate Grizz was successful.

“Listen, I’ll take Eden. You two deserve some alone time. And Sam?” Becca then proceeded to sign something to Sam, not saying it aloud. Grizz could only watch as they had a silent conversation with their hands. Sam nodded and then turned to Grizz, carefully taking Eden and giving her to Becca before reaching down to grab his hand and lead him away.

***

They ended up in a small room near where Becca’s bed was set up. Sam let go of Grizz’s hand to close the door, Grizz watching him the whole time, unable to look away now that he was back in his presence. Sam had a quiet grace to him that permeated his every move and captivated Grizz to no end. 

Sam made his way back to Grizz, stopping right in his personal space, causing him to have to look up to meet his eyes. He reached up a hand to lightly caress Grizz’s cheek, which the taller boy leaned into, almost purring with contentment. Soon, Sam’s other hand joined his first and bracketed Grizz’s face. The anticipation was coursing through him, making him want to bounce on his toes and maybe pounce on Sam. However, the moment felt so delicate, like any large movement would disrupt the beauty. They stood, faces close, eyes locked for a few moments, taking each other in and marveling in their closeness.

Then, blessedly, Sam began to rise, as Grizz dipped his head, allowing them to meet in the middle. It started small and slow, close-mouthed and innocent. But then Sam let out a small moan, and Grizz, enraptured by the noise, intensified the kiss, licking into Sam’s mouth and grasping at his waist. For Grizz, it felt like breathing again; like some awful weight had been on his chest, restricting him, only to be lifted at the sensation of being with Sam.

After some amount of time that could have been a minute or could have been 4 hours, Sam broke away with a gasp. “I need to tell you something.” His voice was strained, and he had to take his hands off of Grizz’s face to sign. Grizz immediately missed their warmth.

“Okay.” Grizz nodded and tightened his hold on Sam’s waist. He knew this something could be bad, but after that kiss, Grizz felt invincible.

“I’m not the father. Biologically. I’m not Eden’s biological father. I am still her father, but I never slept with Becca. I never slept with anyone until you. She doesn’t want to tell me, or anyone, who the father is so I volunteered to pretend for her. I didn’t count on you coming along, but I couldn’t back out. And I love her, Eden. I love her like she is my own.” Sam signed slowly as he talked, knowing Grizz wanted to better his sign language. He watched his face to see his reaction, except Grizz’s expression remained neutral.

“But are you still going to have to pretend to be with Becca?” Grizz tried to clumsily sign along, missing a few words along the way.

“No. That’s what we were discussing before, in sign. She doesn’t need me to be her fake husband or whatever.”

“I don’t want to hide this. Or sneak around. I want to be with you, publicly. I like you so much, but I’m not going to be your dirty little secret.” Grizz didn’t know the signs for most of what he was saying, yet Sam still seemed to understand.

“You don’t have to be.” 

“And I don’t want people to think I broke up a family.”

“Becca and I were never together. Even if people think we slept together once, we’ve never claimed to be anything more than best friends. And I’m so gay. It wouldn’t have worked between me and her anyway.” That earned a small laugh from Grizz, one that Sam echoed.

“So I can just be your boyfriend? No qualifying or secrets?” Grizz had to bite his lip to tamp down his excited smile.

“Hey, who said anything about boyfriends? This is moving too fast!” Sam’s shit-eating grin betrayed his words. Grizz threw his head back to give a hearty laugh, so ecstatic to have this magnificent boy in his arms, giving him a hard time.

“We’ll go at whatever speed you want.” Grizz gazed down at Sam, “God, you’re so gorgeous.” He spelled out ‘gorgeous’ wanting Sam to understand what he meant with no room for confusion. The smile this statement earned him almost knocked the breath out of him.

Oh, and then Sam’s hands were back on his face, and his lips were on Grizz’s lips again. Grizz felt truly alive, even more so than when he was out in that field chasing turkeys and overwhelmed with a sense of achievement. Sure, he found a way to save the town, but Sam found a way to save him. Before Sam, he was destined to be a high school jock for the rest of his life, lumped in with three other guys, all naive and clueless. Sam made him feel like he could be  _ more _ than some football player playing police and pretending to be interested in whatever girl looked his way. With Sam, he could be wise and passionate and smart. And himself. He could be wholly himself for the first time.

Grizz grabbed at the back of Sam’s shirt, trying to anchor himself. So many strong emotions were coursing through him at that moment that he felt dizzy with them, and yet he couldn’t imagine ever wanting to stop kissing Sam. The kisses got deeper as Sam migrated his hands behind Grizz’s head, pulling him in even closer. 

Fighting against every impulse that told him to never end this moment, Grizz pulled back, earning a whine from Sam, who tried to chase his lips, eyes still closed. Grizz tapped his nose, trying to coax him to open his eyes so they could communicate, but only managed to elicit a cute little nose scrunch and sigh from Sam. So they stood in silence, wrapped up in each other, Grizz gazing lovingly at Sam, while Sam kept his eyes closed, trying to center himself. 

When Sam did open his eyes, Grizz let out a shaky breath, wondering if he’d ever be used to how overwhelmingly beautiful his eyes were. Grizz placed a small kiss on his nose, before releasing him and stepping back, causing Sam to tilt his head in question.

“We’ve been gone for a while. Becca is probably wondering where we are. We have time, okay? We can continue this later.” Grizz still fumbled through his signing, but he made sure to enunciate well so Sam could tell that he was not rejecting him, just hitting pause for a bit.

Sam nodded, giving Grizz a bright smile, before signing “Okay” and grabbing his hand to lead him back to Becca and Eden. Grizz let out a breathless laugh as Sam tugged him along, still aware of all the problems present in their world, but grateful for his small oasis with Sam.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked my silly little fic! Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
